Posted by Todd (216.199.5.230) on January 06, 2000 at 16:11:46:
In Reply to: I agree with Jack's facts, but have different take on them posted by gary on January 05, 2000 at 19:44:42:
Tossing in my agreement with gary and Jack with another take on the 'partial' efficacy of some of the preventatives:
many of these drugs are pretty serious stuff and we must often take a 'drug-free' break after stopping one and starting another. Through in the sometimes heavyduty side effects and one has to seriously question the advisablity of sticking with a 'partially effective' treatment--be it preventative or abortive.
One other opinion: Imitrex tablets work "100%" of the time FOR ME......IF I read my warning signs correctly and take the tab soon enough. With neither criticism nor pompousity implied (and hopefully neither inferred), I would respectfully suggest that many people who have tried the tabs and found them 'ineffective' MAY not be taking them soon enough. I've reached this conclusion after numerous chat room and email conversations with a number of people who claimed the tabs don't work.
So what? Well, given the cost per dose relationship (here a kit of shots and a package of 9 tabs are roughly the same cost. Even with DJ's tip you still get only 6 shots/kit vs. 9 tabs)and the prescription/insurance difficulties many recite, the tabs may be a beneficial option for many. If you can learn to swallow one dry (without water to wash it down), they are far more convenient in 'normal life', such as at the office or while driving.
Just as a point of reference, remember that the clinical efficacy of birth cotrol pills is 99%+, but the practical, 'real world' incidence of pregnancy while 'on the pill' approaches 10% in many studies. The difference is in the quality of the self-administration of the drugs. Forget one BCP and you might be repainting the nursery. Miss the 'window' to ingest an Imitrex and you may dance for 1/2 to 1 hour. Get it in time and the resolution of the crisis (in my experience and speaking solely for me) is in the 10-15 or occasionally 20 minute range---exactly the same as that most people report with the injections.
As a minor aside, my one experience with the Imitrex Nasal spray was also effective within 10 minutes BUT this is a single incident (one data point cannot make either a line or a trend) and, due to my chickensh*t nature, the cluster I 'tested' the spray on was one which I felt would not have been a bad one....probably a 5 or 6 untreated.
KTSSU,
T